Best Friend
by GOTA-93
Summary: when the well is closed to the feudal era forever, kagome is left with scars. a visit to the animal shelter changes that. rated T for language
1. Chapter 1

Best friend

I promise it will be short. I need something to help me get the creative juices going for inuyasha regashi.

"_SHIKON NO TAMA, DISAPPEAR!" Kagome shouted_

"_FOREVER!"_

_Kagome and inuyasha were alone together in a black void inside the sacred jewel. A bright light exploded from the sacred jewel as it imploded on itself. Inuyasha and kagome were transported back to kagome's era where they found her mother, grandfather and little brother Sota circling the well. When they saw that kagome was alright, she climbed out of the well and into their arms. Before kagome could turn to thank inuyasha, he was pulled back into the well. Kagome tried to go after him, but the well was locked forever._

_Kagme was shocked at the events that had transpired over the past three days stuck in the shikon no tama. So much that she requested to stay home from school for three weeks. (not that that was unusual.)_

_Her heart longed for her lover. The one called inuyasha, the one who protected her, at times nearly throwing away his own life. She cried day in and day out, wishing that she could see him again. She never left her room, nor did she talk when she did. She would not see her friends, who visited often but were always turned away. Even hojo, who still was interested in her. _

_Kagome didn't want another man. "no one can compare to him…no one…"_

"hey mom, do you think kagome will ever recover?" sota asked. Sota was now in the sixth grade and getting very tall.

"its very hard to say. Inuyasha and kagome have been through a lot together. And they were ripped apart without being able to say goodbye. If this is anything compared to when your father was in that car accident, it will probably take more than a few years." Mrs. Higurashi said.

"kagome is a strong girl. If she had the strength to handle everything that she has told us about beyond the well, then she can recover." Grandpa higurashi said.

"but this is different, father. Inuyasha _was_ kagomes strength. He was the only reason that she could go on…" mrs. Higurashi said.

"hmmm…hey! I have an idea! Lets get kagome a dog!" sota suggested.

"im sorry Sota, but I think that would do more harm than good…" mrs. Higurashi said.

"that is a splendid idea! Lets do it!" grandpa higurashi agreed.

"but you guys…" mrs. Higurashi continued.

"yeah! We can build it a dog house, feed it, wash it, make it do tricks—hey! We can make it sit!" sota went on.

"lets go to the animal shelter tomorrow!" grandpa higurashi said.

"sigh…"mrs. Higurashi breathed.

Kagome laid in her bed with buyo on her backside. She had just finished crying and buried her face in her pillow.

"I cant cry anymore…there are no more tears…I just cant get his face out of my mind…" she whispered. "I wonder what will happen to all of them now? Im sure miroku and sango will get married…and shippo will continue to train to become a strong fox demon. But what about inuyasha? What will he do now? He has no family to go back to…what will become of him? What becomes of all of them?"

Kagome heard a knock at the door.

"yes?" kagome said in a weak croaky voice.

"kagome, we were just talking about you and thinking of ways to cheer you up. And we thought that it would be nice if we got you a dog. How does that sound?" mrs. Higurashi said.

Kagome was about to turn down the offer, but decided to chew on the idea for a while.

"ill think about it…" kagome said.

"alright dear. Tell me before we go to bed so we can make plans for tomorrow, okay?" mrs. Higurashi said.

"alright." Kagome replied.

The higurashis got up the next morning and headed into town. The animal shelter was not too far from where they lived and was packed with animals. There were both dogs and cats and even a few exotic animals. The warden let them in and allowed them to look at the animals.

"so ma'am, what kind of animal are you looking for?" said the warden.

Mrs. Higurashi watched her daughter scan the animals. The light in her eyes had been extinguished. It was as if her spirit had been broken and she was but an empty shell blowing in the wind.

"one that will heal a broken heart." Mrs. Higurashi said compassionately.

The warded saw what mrs. Higurashi saw and said cheerfully, "well we have plenty of those to choose from!"

The warden walked down the hallway of cages where dogs barked and yipped at the intruders. The warden stepped in front of a cage with a melancholy looking bassett hound with brown ears and white fur.

"this here is old yoro. He doesn't look like much, but he's the most loyal friend one could ask for! And he loves to cuddle!"

Kagome shook her head and moved on to the next cage where a great dane sat regally in his cage.

"this big guy is okiku. He loves a nice day at the park playing Frisbee!"

Kagome shook her head again. The warden suddenly felt that it would be harder than he initially though, but was reassured and walked over to a small cage and pulled out a small fluffy shih tzu.

"this my friends is xiao mei. She belonged to a supermodel in china before she passed away. If you're looking for a professional lap dog, she is the dog for you!" said the warden proudly.

Kagome shook her head again. "maybe this was a bad idea…"

"well…don't worry! We've just started! This little guy is…"

Suddenly, they heard a commotion in the back of the shelter.

"COME BACK HERE YOU LITTLE MUTTS!" came a voice.

"they're getting away!" said another.

The higurashis and the warden went outside to where the noise was coming from. Two dog catchers were chasing two white dogs. One appeared to be an akita inu and the other a muscular saluki.

"corner 'em!" said one of the dog catchers.

There were more dog catchers around the corner where the two dogs hoped to escape. They were trapped.

"we got you now you little bastards! You're not going anywhere! This time, it's the big doghouse in the sky for you two!"

The two dogs growled and the akita pounced on one of the dog catcher, biting his arms.

"AAAAAHHH! GET HIM OFF OF ME!"

The other dog did the same and tackled another.

"what are they doing!?" kagome said.

"those dogs are strays. They have been wandering the streets for as long as I can remember. We always try to catch them, but they are really crafty."

Kagome looked closely at the two dogs and a pang of familiarity pierced her heart.

"wait! Leave them alone!" kagome shouted as she ran towards the dog fight.

"WAIT MISS! THOSE DOGS ARE MAD! YOU WILL GET HURT!" shouted the warden.

Kagome ignored them and raced toward them, just as one of the wardens hit the akita in the side with an iron bar. The akita yelped and rolled to the ground. The dog catchers behind him hit him again on his back and it yelped even louder. The saluki charged at the offender and big his arm until blood was drawn. The dog catcher cried in agony.

"please! Stop, don't hurt them!" kagome pleaded.

"miss! Please step away! these dogs are very dangerous!" said the dog catcher.

"no they're not! Please, spare them!" kagome insisted.

One of the dog catchers kicked the akita in the side , sending him into the wall. Kagome rushed to him and bent over him.

"please! Stop it! He's hurt!" kagome begged.

"these dogs are supposed to be put down anyways what does it matter?!" said one of the dog catchers.

"how dare you say that! Animal shelters are supposed to be just that! A place stray, lost and abused animals can find refuge and even a new place to stay!" said mrs. Higurashi.

"that's right!" sota added.

"I will have you reported to the authorities if this continues!" said grandpa higurashi.

The dog catchers stood down and backed away from kagome and the dog.

The saluki sat regally and still and stared at kagome. Kagome turned to the akita and petted his head.

"its okay now little guy. Everything is going to be alright now. They wont hurt you anymore…" kagome crooned.

The akita opened its eyes and looked at kagome. It seemed to gasp and opened its eyes wider, despite its pain.

"they are both really beautiful dogs! Look at their coats! Are you sure that they are strays?" grandpa higurashi asked.

"they don't have any collars or tags and there haven't been any notices for lost dogs…said the warden.

Kagome looked deeply into the akita's eyes. Its eyes were a brilliant amber color. Suddenly, kagome felt as if she had seen this dog before. Mrs. Higurashi looked as well and thought that she had seen the dogs before.

"If that's the case, then I want this one." Kagome said determinedly.

"are you sure, ma'am?" said the warden.

"yes." Kagome said.

"well, we will have to give them their shots and stuff." Mentioned the warden.

"that's absolutely fine. Whatever needs to be done, shots, immunizations, neutering—"

The akita seemed to panick for a moment.

"alright then, lets go inside and get him registered." Said the warden.

"alright! We—I mean, kagome got a dog!"

"come on boy! You're coming home with us!" kagome said cheerfully.

The akita began to follow , but paused and looked back at his friend. The saluki simply stared in silence. It seemed as if the two dogs were conversing about something without even making a sound. The akita went over and sat by the saluki.

"whats wrong, boy?" kagome said.

"it seems as if he doesn't want to leave his friend behind." Sota said.

"why don't we keep them both? It would be cruel to separate them, after all this time." Mrs. Higurashi said.

"did you hear that, you two? You're both coming with us!" sota said cheerfully.

The akita seemed to smile, the saluki's face, stayed a meditative stillness.

I think we all know where this is going. Update later. THIS WILL NOT BE AS LONG AS INUYASHA REGASHI I PROMISE!


	2. Chapter 2: Shiro and Ichi

Best friend chapter 2

Shiro and Ichi

When they got back from the animal shelter, sota and kagome played with their new companions. The akita inu seemed to really like kagome, but the saluki didn't seem to care much.

"now heres the best part: what are we going to name them?" kagome said.

"hmmm, lets name this one fluffy!" sota said pointing to the saluki. The saluki seemed to not like the name at all, letting out a low growl.

"oh okay, he doesn't like that much…" sota said nervously.

"if you ask me, he seems to have a regal air about him; Look at the way he carries himself. How about Okeshiro?" mrs. Higurashi said

"yeah! That sounds like an awesome name! we can call him Shiro-sama!" sota said jokingly

The saluki rolled his eyes.

"and what about this one?"

"I've got nothing for this one. He seems like an ordinary dog." Grandpa higurashi said.

The akita inu seemed to take offense to that.

"I've got an idea! Lets call him inuya—" sota began before his mother slapped her hand over his mouth.

"how about Ichi. Number one, right?"

"that sounds nice. How is that number one puppy!" kagome said cheerfully.

The akita inu just stared, but did not protest.

"well, lets get them bathed! I bet they're filthy!" mrs. Higurashi said.

"I don't know mom, they look pretty darn clean. Look at how white they are!" sota said.

"yes, they certainly are. Which makes me wonder if those dog catchers were telling the truth about them being strays? They look too well groomed." Grandpa higurashi said.

"well, they say dogs are some of the cleanest animals!" kagome said.

"I thought those were cats…" sota said.

"whatever!" kagome spat.

"speaking of cats, I wonder how they will take to buyo?" mrs. Higurashi said.  
the family walked inside of the house and let their new pets in. Ichi immediately went in the kitchen while Shiro sat by the couch. "Looks like they are already making themselves comfortable" kagome said.

Suddenly they heard a cat shriek.

"BUYO!" they all shouted. They all ran into the kitchen and saw Ichi playing with Buyo, and Buyo not liking it too much.

"Ichi!" Kagome shouted.

"bad dog! leave buyo alone!" Sota said.

Ichi didn't stop playing with buyo until the fat cat scratched his poor nose. Ichi retreated and whined in a corner.

"see? what did I tell you? if you're going to be living with us, you have to leave the cat alone!" Kagome commanded.

"are you sure it was wise to adopt these two?" grandpa higurashi said.

"im sure, gramps. they just aren't trained yet." Kagome reassuredly.

"why don't we take them out tomorrow to the park?" Mrs. higurashi said.

"that's a great idea!" Kagome said.

"good! now lets get dinner served." Mrs. higurashi said.

while Mrs. higurashi fixed dinner, the family played with the new additions to their family. Ichi was more playful than his companion, who just laid in a corner appearing to be asleep.

"wow, he is the most anti-social dog I've ever seen!" Sota said.

"perhaps its because he has been a stray for so long that he has lost trust in humans…" grandpa higurashi said.

"but he came with us, doesn't that show that he can trust us?" Sota said.

"perhaps he is just one of those dogs that prefers to be alone…" grandpa higurashi thought aloud.

Ichi preferred to play with Kagome. he jumped on her lap and mercilessly licked her face while she tried to fight fits of laughter.

"hmmm…Ichi really likes Kagome." Sota said.

"that's just because she saved his life." grandpa higurashi said.

"hahaha! down boy, down!" Kagome said between peals of laughter.

"dinner is ready!" Mrs. higurashi called.

when the family sat down to eat, Mrs. higurashi served the dogs their food. they eyed it suspiciously

and sniffed it carefully. Shiro overturned his bowl in disgust and went back into the living room.

"well that was rude! he didn't even taste it!" said Kagome.

"its probably because he is in a new place and not used to dog food." Mrs. higurashi theorized. "give him time, he'll come around."

Ichi turned to the cabinet and sniffed.

"I wonder what he is doing now?" granpa higurashi thought aloud.

Ichi jumped up on the counter top and balanced on his hid leg and opened a cabinet door. he pulled out a cup of instant ramen and jumped back down.

"WHOA! DID YOU SEE THAT JUMP?!" Sota said.

"WHAT AN AMAZING DOG! HE EVEN KNEW WHERE THE RAMEN WAS!" grandpa higurashi exclaimed. he walked over to Kagome, cup of ramen in hand and set it at her feet and sat respectfully.

"im pretty sure that's what he wants for dinner…" Sota said.

"how did you know that was there?" Kagome said, petting his head. Kagome boiled up some water and poured it into t little paper cup.

"now wait for it to cool, we don't want you burning your tongue!" Kagome said.

when it was cool, Ichi gobbled it up.

Kagome went in to offer Shiro some as well, but when she got there he was fast asleep.

night settled on the higurashi shrine and Kagome readied herself for a shower. Ichi sat at the foot of her bed and waited for her to return. when she did, she was dripping wet and wrapped in a towel.

"ahhh, that was great! nice and hot, just the way I like it." Kagome sighed, unwrapping her towel to expose her naked body.

Ichi looked up and spazzed.

"hm? whats wrong boy? is there something the matter?" Kagome said bending down.

Ichi tried to turn around and avoid looking at her. he tried to crawl under her bed.

"hm? whats gotten into you, Ichi?"

when Kagome was done dressing, she laid down on her bed and daydreamed. when Ichi felt that it was safe to come out, he climbed onto her bed and laid at her feet.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome sighed.

Ichi's ears perked up. Kagome got up and sat by her window, feeling the warm, late summer breeze caress her face.

"Inuyasha, I miss you so much…its been almost three years since I saw you…there hasn't been a day that I haven't thought of you…" a tear fell down Kagome's cheek.

"oh Inuyasha…" she began sobbing. "why!? why did I even meet you in the first place?! why did I even have to know your name! why did I ever have to see your face or hear your voice?! why did I..."

Ichi got down from the bed and sat in front of her and whined in concern.

"why did I ever touch your lips? why did I ever have to feel your embrace? because its all I ever think about now…" Kagome whispered. she touched her fingertips to her lips.

"im sorry, Ichi…its just that, well…I lost someone very, very, very special to me. how we first met is hilarious…you have to keep this a secret, okay?" Kagome said with a childish grin on her face.

"If I told anyone else this, they would give me a one way ticket to the nearest psych ward; I was pulled into the well by this gigantic centipede monster. it attacked me and bit me in the side. when it bit me, out came this thing called the sacred jewel. apparently it has amazing powers that can make anyone's wish come true."

Ichi wagged its tail, as if intently listening.

"when I got there, I met this guy named Inuyasha. he was pinned to a tree by a priestess that I apparently was reincarnated from. he tried to kill me at first because of that!" Kagome laughed.

Ichi sat listening to kagomes tale.

"we really didn't like each other at first…but as time went on…I started to fall in love with him…but he was in love with the priestess that sealed him to a tree…it tore me apart when he would pine for her…sometimes I didn't think he could ever love me, but…"

Ichi stopped wagging his tail, anticipating what she would say next.

"but I stayed with him. there wasn't anything that I could do… I loved him so much. it both hurt and comforted me. after our final battle against the sacred jewel, he kissed me…" tears welled in her eyes again.

"I can still feel his warmth…I can still feel his lips on mine…they were so warm…"

Ichi's ears drooped in reaction to her sadness.

"sometimes, I wonder if he really meant that kiss…did he really love me?"

Kagome sobbed again for a little while. Ichi crawled over and nuzzled her.

"thank you Ichi…" Kagome whispered. she looked at her clock and noticed that it read 11:10.

"well I guess I have to get in bed if I want to go to school tomorrow…" Kagome sighed. she shut off the light, climbed into bed and tucked herself in. it didn't take long for her to fall asleep.

Ichi was still wide awake and stared at her longingly. the rays of the full moon illuminated him as he sat in front of her.

"oh Kagome…how could you not know? I loved you from the very beginning...and I love you now…"

Ichi whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

best friend chapter 3 museum

When Kagome woke up the next day, she felt more energized than she had in a long time.

"Good morning, Ichi! how are you this morning?" Kagome said cheerfully.

Ichi barked in reply and wagged his tail happily.

"Well, im going to school today! This is my final year of high school, and after that, im completely done with it!" Kagome said.

'But I haven't figured out what I want to do with my life…I was supposed to do that in the 9th grade, with that whole career workshop thing that the whole class did. but I wasn't there…I was…'

Kagome shook the thought from her mind and smiled. "well, I can worry about that at a later time! after all, the year is just beginning!" Kagome said hopefully.

Ichi cocked his head to the side curiously. Kagome got dressed in her uniform and headed down to breakfast with Ichi at her heels. she could smell the delicious scent of omlettes and rice waiting for her.

"Mom! shiro wont roll over for me! even for a doggy treat!" Sota complained.

"Training a dog to do tricks takes time. now come to the table and eat." Mrs. higurashi said.

"Alright." Sota moaned.

"You know, the first thing you should teach a dog is to not pee in the house! I don't want either of them peeing on any of the valuable higurashi shrine artifacts!" grandpa higurashi warned.

"Okay gramps." Sota said.

"Good morning everyone!" Kagome said.

"Good morning!" they all chorused.

"Kagome! this the happiest we've seen you in a long time!" Mrs. higurashi said. "Perhaps getting you a dog was a good idea after all!"

"And it was all my idea!" Sota said proudly.

Oh no young man, im pretty sure it was I who came up with the idea of comforting Kagome's heart with a furry companion!" grandpa higurashi said.

"No it wasn't! It was my idea! you just agreed to it!" Sota argued.

"I distinctly remember it being me who said, 'lets get Kagome a pet! animal companions are known to cure the sick of heart!'"

"Well, whoever thought of it, thankyou so much. I really appreciate it. its nice to know that I have a family that is always looking out for me." Kagome thanked.

"Anything for you, Kagome. We just wanted to see you smile again." Mrs. higurashi said.

Kagome smiled a genuine and sweet smile. She looked down and petted Ichi's head and Ichi snuggled into her side.

"Well Kagome, you'd better gobble up that breakfast! you don't want to be late for school!" grandpa higurashi said.

"Oh! You're right!" Kagome said shoving the food into her mouth.

Sota ate his food at an equally fast pace until Shiro came and stole his omlette.

"HEYY! COME BACK HERE! YOU WONT ROLL OVER FOR ME, AND NOW YOU STEAL MY FOOD!? WHATS WRONG WITH YOU!?" Sota shouted.

the whole family, including Kagome laughed at the fiasco. Kagome finally got up and ran out of the house. she paused to look at the sacred tree and sighed.

'Inuyasha…wherever you are, I hope you are happy and safe. Don't worry yourself too much about me, im just fine.'

Kagome turned to walk down the flight of stairs leading to the street when Ichi ran after her, barking.

"No, Ichi. I have to go to school! I'll be back, and when I do I'll take you and shiro to the park!" Kagome promised.

Ichi whined and insisted on going with her.

"Im sorry, no pets are allowed at school!" Kagome said.

Ichi's ears lowered in disappointment.

"I promise that I will be back and ill take you to the park! don't worry about it! I gotta go now!" Kagome said hastily.

Kagome ran down the stairs and towards her high school. it was much larger than her middle school and a lot more people. The three of her friends ayumi, yuka, and eri were the only ones from her class to attend the school while hojo went to an all boys school. When Kagome reached the school grounds she let out a big sigh. "I wonder what catch up homework awaits me today? Grandpa said that I had mononucleosis the last time they called me in absent. I'm surprised people aren't shunning me so they don't catch whatever disease I've got…"

"Hey Kagome!" a voice called.

"Oh! yuka! So nice to see you!" Kagome said.

"I could say the same! We heard about the mono that you had! you must've been miserable!" yuka said.

"Yeah, you could say that…" Kagome said.

"Well, you came at a perfect day! we're going on a fieldtrip to this new museum out in the countryside!"

"New museum? Really?" Kagome said.

"Yeah! I'm super excited! Come on! We have to take roll call before we go!" yuka said. yuka pulled Kagome's arm toward the building and into their classroom. The two sat down in their seats as did the other students. The teacher came in and took roll call and called out Kagome's name.

"higurashi, Kagome?" the teacher said.

"Present!" Kagome said cheerfully.

"So nice of you to be here, miss higurashi! I hope you are feeling better! "said the teacher.

"Yes sir! Much better!" Kagome replied.

"psst." came a voice beside her. It was a boy named Kairi, a boy who had transferred from a public school in Kobe and took an instant liking to Kagome.

"My dad had mono for a while, I know how hard it can be. I hope you are feeling better!" kairi said politely.

"Thanks kairi, I appreciate it." Kagome thanked.

"Now as you all know we are going to the new museum in Kikuna called the *Eiyu no Jinja. it will take an half an hour by train so have your id's ready."

"Eiyu no Jinja? how come I have never heard of that place before?" Kagome said.

"They started construction a few years ago, right when we started high school, remember?" yuka said.

"No, I don't…" Kagome said.

"Oh I remember now, you were too sick to come out so you have probably never even heard of it." Eri said.

"Well that makes sense." Kagome said.

"I heard that it is a museum based on this huge excavational find they had in Kikuna. they said that they found a whole buch of stuff from the sengoku era. they even said that this is probably their biggest find yet!" ayumi said.

"Well! That does sound exciting!" Kagome exclaimed.

The class prepared itself to depart and gathered all of their necessities.

"Remember class, you should be taking notes on everything you see here. The things you see here will probably be on the next exam, so come prepared and don't just sightsee." the teacher said.

"He tells us this, but does he really expect us to do that? After all, it's a new museum of one of the biggest historical findings in japan!" said kairi to Kagome as they were walking through the hallway.

"Well, kairi. What have you been up to?" said yuka.

"Oh nothing much! Just trying to get into this college overseas and stuff!" kairi said.

"You wanted to be an engineer, right?" ayumi said.

"Yeah! I'm really stoked! I'm thinking of going to Germany or the United States. They seem to have some really good engineering programs, but I have no idea how I'm going to pay for it!" kairi chuckled.

"Oh don't worry about it! im sure they'll give you some sort of scholarship, considering how smart you are!" eri complimented.

"Oh well thanks!" kairi said bashfully. he flashed a genuine toothy grin at Kagome. she could only smile back. The girls dragged her ahead of the boy as he stared confused.

"Kagome, you've got to open your eyes!" eri said.

"That guy is like, head over heels in love with you!" yuka insisted.

"He's so perfect! He has a sense of humor, he is a genius—" eri began.

"The top of the class!" ayumi continued.

"And he is super strong! he is a black belt in judo, tae kwon do and kickboxing! he is a master in basically every sport, even American football!" yuka said.

"And we haven't even got to his looks!" ayumi added.

"uhh guys?" Kagome said.

"That guy could be a model if he wanted to!" yuka exclaimed.

"I heard rumors that he was!" eri said.

"This isn't some dude from middle school, Kagome! this is major league hot stuff right here!" yuka said.

"But guys…" Kagome said, trying to slow the conversation down.

"Hojo aint got nothin on this guy! Compared to Kairi, he is just a little kid!" eri said forcefully.

"But guys…im not interested in dating anyone." Kagome said firmly.

"What?!" the girls all shouted in unison.

"You can't still be hung up on your ex boyfriend, can you?!" yuka asked incredulously.

"Yeah…" Kagome said.

"He left the country three years ago and you still have mr. clingy on the brain?!" eri said.

"You must have really loved him…"ayumi said sadly.

Kagome smiled a gentle, but sorrowful smile.

"I know that smile…" eri sighed.

"Were you two that close?" yuka said.

"We were. At least it felt like we were…"

"Why did he leave again?" ayumi asked.

"Well…his dad took a job in Portugal and he had to go. they had to go right away, so there wasn't much time to say goodbye. But…" Kagome began explaining.

"BUT WHAT?" the girls demanded.

"He…kissed me before he left…"

"GET OUT OF TOWN!" They chorused.

"You mean he actually kissed you?!" eri said

"You mean _kiss_ kiss you?!"

"Yeah…he did." Kagome said blushing.

"And what does his ex think about that?!" ayumi asked.

"Oh he let her go, for real this time. They agreed that they had to go their separate ways." Kagome explained.

"Oh…" ayumi sighed.

"Well it's about time he made up his mind!" yuka said.

"Yeah, but not soon enough! he still left you high and dry! I mean, he could've at least given you a phone call or something before he left and made better timing!" eri scolded.

"You guys, it's not really like that…" Kagome said.

"that guy has been treating you poorly ever since you two got together and when he finally gets it together, he mysteriously leaves with his family!" yuka continued.

"You really need to get over him!"

"Guys…" Kagome began

"Yeah! Move on!"

"There are other fish in the sea! Get out there and start living your life, Kagome!"

"STOP IT ALL OF YOU!" Kagome shouted so loud that the whole class could hear her.

"Kagome…" ayumi began.

"You guys just don't understand! Even if I tried to explain it to you, you still wouldn't get it! We had our difficulties, but that is a part of a relationship isn't it!? We understood each other! We had a relationship that you would never be able to comprehend! It's to my understanding , that he and his ex-broke up over something silly; and when he realized what he did wrong, he was already with a relationship with me. So the only reason that he still talks to her is because he didn't want things to end on a bad note with her. So he tried to make amends, even while he was with me. I know now, that doesn't say that he is a two timer: it says that he wants to do right by the both of us!" Kagome explained.

"Well…" eri began.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore…" Kagome said as she turned to leave.

When they borded the train to kikuna, Kagome sat by herself with her thoughts. She stared at the countryside where people cultivating rice grazed in the fields. This scene was all too familiar to her. Rice growing in the sengoku era was their main way of life. Everything was dependent on the rice harvests. 'It's so strange how things have changed so much…" Kagome tried to imagine herself in the sengoku era again, riding her anachronistic bike, the villagers waving at her as she passed. She could almost hear their voices, the chirping of the birds. The crisp, clean air unadulterated by smog…

"Hey Kagome…" ayumi said sitting down by her. "I know eri and yuka seemed really harsh and mean about your ex-boyfriend and all, but think about it: the only things you have told us about him is that he is a selfish, two timing jerk. You never _really_ told us about what his good qualities…"

"Oh…" Kagome said.

"So all that we were saying is all we had to go on. If we knew what he was really actually like, we could evaluate him more fairly."

"Well…he has lots of quirks about him, but it just makes him unique. He seems to really love the color red. he has an unrelenting love for instant noodles. he can be a real jerk, but he has this really tender side to him too. He doesn't show it very often though. He is an orphan, he never met his father and his mother died years ago. He has an older brother, but he hates his guts. He lives alone, so it's no wonder why he seems really antisocial and hard all the time. But it seems to me that I am his only confidant. When you get past all of the hard and tough stuff, he really is a good friend." Kagome said.

"That's better. I knew there was more to him than what you let on." ayumi said.

"Yeah, I'm sorry I only said bad things about him. Maybe it's me who is the bad one." Kagome chuckled.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. " ayumi said. "I know how hard it must have been to have him ripped away from you like that."

Kagome sighed. 'That's exactly how it felt…as if he was being ripped out of my life forever…'

"Well, if it's any consolidation, my mom went through something similar. Her first love disappeared for years and she never heard from him. Then she met my dad and they were close ever since; but she never forgot about her first love. One day, he reappeared and said it was because he had a business opportunity and had no time to tell her. But when he came back, my mother was already married to my dad."ayumi explained.

"Oh…" Kagome said.

"It's like that old song goes, 'if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with'."ayumi continued.

"mmhmm." Kagome nodded. She looked at Kairi who was chatting with his friends.

'Love the one you're with…' Kagome thought.

When they finally arrived at kikuna, everyone piled out of the train and onto a bus. it did not take long for them to reach the museum, which still looked like it was under construction.

"That's it!" kairi said cheerfully to Kagome. Kagome smiled at him and he smiled back.

There was a great red torii to usher visitors in. on each side were sculptures of dragons and lions.

"What a place! It looks like we're walking into a palace!" eri exclaimed in awe.

"Yeah I see what you mean! It's so new, I can still smell the wet concrete!" yuka commented.

When they reached the door they were greeted by a cheerful guide dressed in a traditional Shinto priestess robe.

Kagome sighed heavily. 'This is definitely not going to be easy.'

"Welcome everyone, to Eiyu no Jinja! My name is sachiko and I'll be your guide today!" said the guide. "This museum was built just three years ago and we are still constructing new sections! so in lieu of that, please stay together we wouldn't want any of you to get lost!"

They entered the first room in the museum where there were lots of artifacts and pottery.

"a lot of the artifacts you will find in this museum, is from the archaeological site not far from here. They say that there was once a small village there, very much near to where Edo was and Tokyo is now. its amazing how much all of these artifacts were so well preserved!" Sachiko said.

The students looked at the exibits holding old baskets and tools. There were even some old paintings that were dirty but still legible.

Kagome looked at one of the baskets and gasped.

'I know who made that basket!' an image of a little girl and her mother and Kagome helping her make her first basket.

"Hmm must be some basket to get you all excited like that." said a male voice behind her.

She turned to see kairi standing behind her

"Oh, I'm just impressed at how well its made! I would never have the patience to do that!" Kagome stuttered.

"I think you could if you really tried." kairi insisted.

"Well…id have to have a good teacher." Kagome said, trying to get out of talking to him.

"Hey, my sister is good at that crafting business, I bet she would know how. I could get her to teach you, she has been dying to meet you." kairi suggested.

"Umm…sure I guess…" Kagome said hesitantly.

"Great! You can stop by tomorrow, she'll be home by then." kairi said.

'what have I gotten myself into this time?!' Kagome sighed. She continued to scan the exhibits by herself, but became adventurous and went by herself. She went down to a corridor, lightly littered with visitors and then saw a lonely corridor. There was a sign that said 'under maintenance' but she ignored it.

She entered a dimly lit room with spotlights on certain areas. There were cases of armor and weapons. But something caught her eye: it was a familiar string of blue beads.

Kagome thought immediately, 'miroku…!'

Under the beads, there was a caption that read:

"**These sacred beads belonged to a monk who was cursed with a vacuum like void in his right hand. it was powerful enough to devour anyone and anything in its wake; but if used too often, it would engulf him as well. These sacred beads were used to seal the void when not in use."**

'But that's not how the story ends…he defeated the demon who cursed it. And now it's gone. He can live a normal life. _He can live…'_

She looked over to another case that held half of a giant boomerang.

Kagome choked. 'Oh sango…' she read the inscription at the bottom and read:

"**This giant boomerang was wielded by a mighty demon slayer. It is said that she was the first female professional demon exterminator."**

'She was one of the best…no…she _was_ the best.'

Kagome turned around, but gasped at what she saw in the middle of the room.

'_ohhhhh…'_

It was the tetsusaiga. In a clear glass case in beautiful display.

She stumbled to the glass case where it separated her from the sword. Tears unwillingly welled in her eyes. Her heart begged her eyes not to read what was inscribed below it, but her mind was too curious to what it said,

"**this sword is said to have belonged to an unnamed warrior who was rumored to have been a half dog demon. his name is unknown. Historians refer to him as Edo no hogo: protector of edo.**

"Oh…please…don't…I can't take it anymore…" Kagome stuttered.

She looked up and saw even more: his fire rat robe hanging neatly in a display case, tattered and worn.

"**This is the fabled robe of the fire-rat, as told in the bamboo cutters tale. it is said that Edo no Hogo wore it often as armor."**

"Please…" Kagome begged whatever god was listening.

Next to that display case was a wall hanging with the figure of a canine like man.

"Oh Inuyasha…" Kagome whispered, tears streaming freely down her face. She beheld the face that was once so dear to her.

'His eyes…they look so sad…' Kagome thought. She reached out to touch the picture, but was startled by a noise behind her.

An old janitor was cleaning the glass of tetsusaiga's display case.

"I just washed that glass y'know, you can read Japanese can't you? This area is under maintenance!" he said in a familiarly hoarse voice. His eyes were wide and bulging with a small grey goatee.

'He looks so much like…'

"But I can't blame you for checking it out, this is my favorite room in this place." the old janitor said. "Just look at these old things. You know, museums like these are kind of magic. You sometimes feel like the objects you are looking at are telling you a story, like this giant boomerang here. Why it took two men to carry this thing in here, and it's only half complete! That lady demon slayer must have been some woman to be able to carry that thing!"

"I can agree with you there." Kagome sighed.

"I'd really like to know the story behind this sword though. it's the most beautifully crafted sword ive ever seen." said the old janitor.

"How can you say that, when it's so old and rusty?" Kagome said incredulously.

"Oh believe me. I know my swords. It looks old and rusty, but I believe that this sword has slain a thousand lives in its day, and protected even more."

Kagome stared at the old man for a moment.

"Sir, may I ask your name?" Kagome asked.

The old janitor paused for a moment and smirked.

"Why do you want to know? I'm just a smelly old janitor." he said before walking off.

wow! I was almost crying writing this part! (that and listening to a certain song that oddly fits the situation. music helps me get ideas.)


End file.
